With funding from United Way of Morgan County, Young Readers of Colorado is able to assist Morgan County's students learn to read and avoid drugs.

United Way has sponsored the entire Home Run Against Drugs program through Young Readers for 10 years, according Kathy Prather who helps direct the program.

The goal of the Home Run program is to promote healthy lifestyle choices among youth by improving their knowledge and self esteem to prevent tobacco, alcohol and drug abuse.

"I go in and talk to the kids about what they want to be when they grow up," Prather said.

The program works with all of the county's third graders and she discusses how they can reach their future goals by staying healthy and staying away from drugs.

Each child also receives a personalized book that tells a story about them and their three best friends.

Prather said United Way covers the cost of all of the books — 426 this year — and the rest of the supplies for the program.

United Way also helps fund the program to give personalized books to the county's preschoolers. There are several sponsors for this program and United Way funds the books for children in the city of Fort Morgan only — 350 they year.

The preschool program promotes literacy and parent involvement.

"The earlier we start teaching literacy, the better they read as adults," said Sandy Chapin, Young Readers board president. "Parent involvement really supports good reading as well."

Prather has been doing this program since 1999 and United Way has assisted with fund for the last two years.

"Without United Way, we wouldn't be here at all," she said. "There wouldn't be enough funding in the area."

"It takes a whole community to keep all of these organizations going," Chapin said.

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